JILTED MAN KILLS LOVER

.....then commits suicide

On the scene: Undertakers remove the body of Burlina Solomon-Sobers from her apartment at Coral Gardens, Buccoo, yesterday.
—Photo: ELIZABETH ALLARD

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A 36-year-old mother of three was yesterday chopped to death at her Tobago home by her ex-lover—who then killed himself.

The 13-year-old daughter of the murdered woman was also chopped in the attack and is hospitalised.

Burlinda Solomon-Sobers, a former helper at Republic Bank at Main Street, Scarborough, was killed at her Orchid Lane, Buccoo, home by 55-year-old carpenter Daniel Benjamin, with whom she had ended an affair.

The lifeless body of Solomon- Sobers was found in a pool of blood in her home, while her assailant was frothing from the mouth mere metres away, in some bushes, with a bottled poisonous substance nearby. Neighbours told the Express the incident occurred shortly before 8 a.m.

Reports are that Benjamin wanted to rekindle the romance with Solomon-Sobers, who had intentions of reuniting with her husband, when tragedy struck yesterday.

Benjamin, who lived at Grange New Road, Old Grange, Tobago, left his house armed with a cutlass, entered the home of Solomon-Sobers, and chopped her several times about the body.

Her daughter, Afyia Sobers, who was at home at the time of the incident, tried to intervene, but was chopped on the fingers in the process.

She ran out of the home to her aunt's house nearby and was rushed to the Scarborough Regional Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery to reattach her fingers.

After chopping Solomon-Sobers and her daughter, Benjamin left the house still armed with his cutlass, drank a poisonous substance and collapsed in some bushes in the Buccoo area. He was found by police officials frothing from the mouth, and later died.

A relative of the family, Wendy George, told the Express this murder could have been avoided if police officers had had acted sooner. She said several reports were made to the police that Benjamin was verbally and physically abusive, but the police never visited or warned Benjamin.

George said the murder could have been avoided because Solomon-Sobers visited her last Saturday night and told her what was happening, and that she had told Benjamin not to come back to her house.

"We call the police and they did not come," George said.

George said yesterday was a sad one for the family, as they had lost their loved one. "If the police did come and do their work, this could have been avoided. They did not come. Now all of them here now," she said, referring to the police presence at the scene.

The murder toll in Tobago now stands at five for the year, while the toll for Trinidad and Tobago stands at 367, according to an Express tally.

The Scarborough Homicide Bureau, led by Superintendent Garfield Moore, William Nurse and Sergeant Alexander, is continuing investigations into the matter.